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Flooding and Severe Weather in SE Asia - September 2013

Countries
Lao PDR
+ 3 more
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

THAILAND

In Thailand, since 17 September, a total of 7,962 villages in 191 districts of 29 provinces have been impacted by floods according to the Royal Thai Government’s National Disaster Management Office.
The latest Government update of 26 September stated that 9 people have died and over 2,100,000 people are reported to have been affected. Please note that this figure is based on the total population of the areas impacted and is not necessarily the actual number of people affected. As many as 6,900 houses; 176,000 hectares of farmland; 2,310 roads and 145 bridges have been damaged by the floodwaters. The situation in several provinces is already returning to normal. Given the current available data, it would appear that the situation falls very much within the national response capacity

LAO PDR

Between June and July, seven provinces in the north and central areas have been flooded after heavy rains swept across the country. Exacerbating the situation was the influence of Typhoons JEBI and Mongkhut that moved across northern in early August. Oudomxay, Bolikhamxay and Khammuan provinces were the worst affected provinces in terms of damage and loss. In Oudomxay, 17 people were killed on 20 August. Over 9,600 people in 30 villages were affected by the consequent flooding and landslides. Nearly 60 houses were destroyed and another 100 houses damaged.

More recently, four southern provinces - Champasak, Salavan, Attapeu and Xekong - have been flooded by heavy rainfall from a tropical depression that passed through the area late last week from southern China. Three persons were killed in Champasak, which is the worst hit province. Nearly 21,000 households were affected in the four provinces. The Government of Lao PDR is taking the lead in flood response and assessing the impact and needs of the affected population. Humanitarian agencies including UNICEF, WHO, Care International, Oxfam and World Vision, who have a presence in the field, are currently providing support to the local authorities.

VIET NAM

At least 24 people were killed and six missing when central and southern Viet Nam was hit by heavy rainfall and floods since early last week, according to CCFSC. Some 7,000 houses were inundated and more than 5,000 hectares of crops have been damaged, although much of the water has since receded. Early this month, there were 21 deaths as flash floods and landslides ravaged northern mountainous areas of the country. Last year, more than 260 people were killed in floods in Viet Nam.

CAMBODIA

Heavy rains over the last few weeks have resulted in floods in at least seven provinces throughout the north, and along the Mekong River, in central Cambodia. According to the latest Government figures, 21 deaths have been confirmed. 14,076 households (approximately 70,380 people) have been affected; with 2,508 households (approximately 12,540 people) evacuated. The Provincial Committees on Disaster Management (PCDMs), the Cambodian Red Cross (CRC) and other NGOs have been providing relief on the ground. Despite forecasts of decreasing water levels from the Mekong River Commission, the Government has issued a weather warning for heavy rainfall with the potential for flooding between 28 September and 1 October in the northern parts of the country. The Humanitarian Response Forum (HRF) is in constant contact with the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) and continues to monitor the situation and liaise with local and national authorities to assess changes in the context.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.